Definition

A hip labral tear is an injury to the soft tissue (labrum) around the socket of the hip joint.

Hip Joint and Cartilage

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Causes

Causes may be:

• Health problems that cause the hip joint to wear down, such as osteoarthritis
• Trauma from things like a motor vehicle accident or a fall onto the hip
• Repetitive movements in sports, such as golf

Risk Factors

This problem is more common in older adults. Other things that may raise the risk are:

• Osteoarthritis
• Bending forward, running, jumping, or twisting from activities such as:
  • Skiing
  • Cycling
  • Horseback riding
  • Golf
  • Softball
• Health problems of the hip, such as femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAI) or hip dysplasia

Symptoms

Problems may be:

• Hip pain
• Groin, buttock, or thigh pain
• Locking or clicking of the hip
• Hip instability
• Pain during activity

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. You may be asked about the activities that you do and when the pain started. A physical exam will be done. It will focus on the hip.

Images of the hip may be taken. This can be done with:

• MRI arthrography
• X-rays

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to ease symptoms to give the hip time to heal. Treatments may include:

• Limiting activities to let the hip rest
• Medicine to ease pain
• Physical therapy to help with strength, flexibility, and range of motion
• Wearing a brace to support the hip

Some people may need surgery. The torn labrum may be removed or sewn together.

Prevention

There are no guidelines to prevent a hip labral tear.